1. The Field of the Invention
This invention relates to document processing application software and, more particularly, to novel systems and methods for creating secure documents traceable to their origin, regardless of copying, and regardless of changes in media between copies. For example, a document may be copied onto a computer diskette, it may be printed to a printer, it may then be photocopied, it may then be scanned into a scanner to be restored in the -memory of another computer.
2. The Background Art
Document security has been a difficult task from the inception of the written word. In a typical office, document security is often based on physical custody. Where a possibility exists for a document to be duplicated, certain means exist to render a duplicated copy unreadable.
For example, a document may be produced on a paper that contains a security mark such as the word xe2x80x9cconfidentialxe2x80x9d as a large, colored watermark. On a conventional copy machine, such as a photocopy machine, such a watermark turned black when copied. A black copy of a watermark, when a document was duplicated, was used to render the duplicate unreadable. Thus, this security method permitted only a single instance of a document, the original.
However, modern copier technology now allows copying of colors. Moreover with the advent of color copiers having the capacity for multiple shadings, conventional watermarks become inadequate.
A paperless office may present a different set of security issues. For example, an electronic document may be a xe2x80x9cscannedxe2x80x9d image of a paper document. Such a duplicate may be distributed to one or more individuals by a single keystroke. That is, with networks and internetworks connecting various computers, distribution may be massive with minimal individual effort. Moreover, any recipient of an electronic document may forward duplicates to an untold number of other individuals, some of whom may not be authorized to receive the document. Moreover, once a document has been duplicated, and distributed, electronic duplication-may render more difficult the determination of a xe2x80x9cleakxe2x80x9d through which unauthorized documents were distributed.
To combat electronic security problems, many organizations, such as the United States Department of Defense (DOD), for example, prohibit transmittal of certain sensitive information by electronic mail. Other-organizations attempt to control access to originals. Nevertheless, such an approach is rendered useless once an original document has been electronically sent to other individuals. Security as to all recipients of a document may be effectively impossible by conventional methods.
Other problems exist in electronic or paperless offices. For example, a recipient of a document may often xe2x80x9ccut and pastexe2x80x9d information received electronically. That is, most word processors and image processors, including drawing packages, drafting packages, and the like, permit editing of any or all portions of an electronic document.
To alter original documents, or fabricate new documents, is a simple matter of selecting certain editing tools and copying selected portions of the document received. Thus, editing may be virtually uncontrollable.
An internal office memo having an originator""s initials written on it, for authentication purposes, may be dangerous. For example, a recipient may scan a document into a computer using an image scanning device. The individual may then use a word processor or drawing application to xe2x80x9ccut and pastexe2x80x9d the image of the entire signature to be used at will. An individual may even fit or generate a piecewise function to re-create the signature at will.
Numerous efforts attempt to control the use and abuse of electronic signatures. Nevertheless, such efforts typically require a separate security file to be associated with an original document. If the security file is separated from the original, uncontrolled use of the signature may again be possible. Moreover, such separation may be extremely simple. One may print an original document with the electronic signature on it, scan the printed document back into a word processor or drawing processor, then xe2x80x9ccut and pastelxe2x80x9d the signature to create a separate signature file. Transforming an original document from a paperless form to a hard copy or paper form effectively separates the original security files from the document itself. The original document may be rendered anew without any security file when scanned back into the computer hosting the word processor or drawing processor application.
Similarly, once a document has been misappropriated, improperly distributed, or the like, one of the improper copies may be located. Nevertheless, the source of the unauthorized copy is still not known. A pattern of unauthorized distribution may be difficult to locate or remedy.
What is needed is a document security system that is independent of the medium of transfer. That is, a document it may be transferred on a wire, on an electromagnetic diskette, on a laser-encoded compact disk, on paper, on RAM, or the like. What is needed is a system in which transfer of a document by any medium, is incapable of removing security information from a resultant file.
In view of the foregoing, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a system for creating media-independent security for a document.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a processor programmed to execute instructions effective to create a document file and security instructions effective to create a security code, integrated into the document to be non-removable.
It is another object of the invention to provide a memory device operably connected to a processor for storing document files in a format to contain a substantive portion containing data corresponding to a readable image, a format portion corresponding to a layout of the document for outputting, and a security portion independent of the substantive portion and effective to be output as an integrated part of the document to be visually unreadable by human vision in a hard copy form.
It is another object of the invention to provide an input device for receiving an input signal corresponding to security data to be encoded into a document as an integrated portion thereof, in a security portion corresponding to the security code and unextractable from the document.
It is a further object to provide an output device operably connected to a processor to receive output signals corresponding to a document file such that the output device may render a document readable to a user as to substantive portion, while creating an independent security image unreadable to a user and yet effectively inseparable from the substantive portion in hard copy of the document.
It is another object of the invention to connect the foregoing output device to a processor, with the output device having a resolution sufficiently high to print a pattern of marks at a resolution greater than that of the eye of the user.
It is a further object of the invention, to provide a scanner connected to a processor to read a hardcopy of a document into a bit map, transferring the document to a block of data corresponding to a substantive, visually readable portion, and a block of data corresponding to a visually non-readable security portion, the blocks being adaptable to be output together in a single document, but remaining independent of one another.
It is another object of the invention to provide a security pattern encoded in symbols corresponding to a value of one and a value of zero, thus creating a binary coded pattern within a bit map of a security image, visually unreadable by a user directly.
It is another object of the invention to provide an application having an executable portion of coding containing instructions effective to read and decode binary data from a bit map of a security image printed width each hard copy of a document.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a security executable effective to receive and process data input by a user, and transfer an image containing the data into a document, the information corresponding to security information associated with the document.
It is another object of the invention to create an object-oriented application having an image object, which may correspond to a figure, a drawing, a photograph, or other pictorial image or a textual image containing text or other alphanumeric or ASCII characters, in one layer, with an additional independent layer containing a security image visually unreadable by a user and inextricably embedded in an object selected from a background object and a watermark object.
It is another object of the invention to provide a media-independent security apparatus and method for documents, comprised of a memory device having a block for storing a processor executable, a block comprising substantive data to be output for reading by a user, a format block, a security executable block, and a security data block.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a pattern-encoding palette accessible by a user for selecting a pattern to be used to encode a binary data representation of information,provided by a user, binary data being encoded in an image rendered in the pattern selected by the user.
It is another object of the invention to provide a data structure having a buffer adaptable to receive data corresponding to a background object, a substantive image object, and a security data object, each object being independently storable.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a method for creating, transferring and verifying a media-independent document containing security information, intractably integrated with the document, yet independent of the substantive content, such as text and figures in the document.
It is an additional object of the invention to provide a method for inputting security image data corresponding to a visually non-interpretable image output displayable with a visually interpretable image by a display device in a format non-interpretable by a user viewing the interpretable image with the naked eye.
It is an additional object of the invention to create in one medium, a document having a substantive portion corresponding to one image, a security portion corresponding to a security image comprising an array of symbols arranged to represent selected security data in a binary coding format uninterpretable by a user viewing the document in the medium.
It is another object of the invention to provide a method for transferring a document from one medium to another medium, and decoding from a visually non-interpretable image a pattern of symbols into a binary file representing security information, and then outputting security information decoded from the binary file.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a method for transforming an array of symbols printable in a visually non-interpretable image, in a security portion of a document, into a bit map, capturing a header containing a target pattern made of the symbols, synchronizing a reading device to begin reading the symbols, orienting the reading device in accordance with a direction indicated by the target pattern, in order to read a band of the symbols proximate the header, and decoding the band to provide an output readable by a user.
Consistent with the foregoing objects, and in accordance with the invention as embodied and broadly described herein, a system, method, and apparatus are disclosed in various embodiments of the present invention. In one embodiment, an apparatus in accordance with the invention, may be configured as a machine for providing media-independent security for a document. The machine may include a processor programmed to execute instructions effective to create a document file, and security instructions effective to create a security code. A memory device may be operably connected to the processor to store the document file. The document file itself may include a substantive portion, a format portion, and a security portion.
The substantive portion may contain data corresponding to a visually interpretable (readable, recognizable) image. That is, an image may be text, a picture, a drawing, or the like. A readable (interpretable) image may be readily understood by a user directly, by viewing with the naked eye. For example, a user may view a text document or graphic image on a screen of a monitor or on a page output by another output device, such as a printer. The unreadable image may be output as part of a document, provided by an output device such as a printer, monitor, or the like, but its security information is not detectable to human vision, nor is the binary coding readily determinable.
A format portion may contain data corresponding to instructions or data required by a document processor, such as a word processor or drawing processor application, or the like. The format portion may correspond to data required by a word processor or drawing processor (application) to output a document. That is, the format portion may contain layout information required to output a document for presentation to a user.
A security portion may be associated with a security code. The security portion may be completely independent from the substantive portion. That is, certain security systems alter letters in subtle ways that are not readily detectable. However, such systems require complex image-recognition algorithms in order to be read.
In one embodiment of an apparatus made in accordance with the invention, a security portion of a document may contain data corresponding to a security image. The security image may be effective to be output by an output device as part of the document. Nevertheless, the security image may be output to be visually unreadable by human vision. That is, the security portion may be output as an image comprising a pattern of binary symbols output at a resolution higher (more dots or lines per inch) than that viewable or recognizable by human vision.
For example, a printer with current technology may print a resolution of 600 dots per inch. Moreover, the printer may print with a 600 dots per inch resolution in two dimensions. Thus, a symbol might contain, for example, three dots, each 1/600th inch in length. The resolution of the human eye is substantially less than 600 dots per inch. Thus, a symbol that is a mere three 600ths of an inch is not to be detected from other symbols of similar size and various shapes by a human eye.
In an apparatus made in accordance with the invention, an input device may be operably connected to a processor to receive an input signal from a user. The input signal may correspond to security information to be encoded in the security portion. Thus, a user may input security information to be encoded into a security portion of a document as an image. The image may be output as a watermark, a background image, or the like, independent from the image data corresponding to the substantive image (drawing, text, etc).
The apparatus made in accordance with the invention may include an output device connected to the processor to receive an output signal. The output device may be adaptable to output documents in a medium adaptable to render the substantive portion readable directly by visual inspection. Meanwhile, the output device may output the security portion in a format readable only at a resolution greater than the resolution of human vision and in a binary coding.
Input devices may include those known in the art, or other devices developed for the purpose. Likewise, output devices may be those known in the art or others developed for the purpose. Moreover, documents may be input and output directly between machines, between a user and a machine, between a machine and a user, between electronic formats and hard copy formats, combinations thereof, or the like.